Politics
New Condition Emerge As Obi, Atiku, others Battle For Presidential Ticket
ADC state chairmen urged the party leadership to abandon zoning of the 2027 presidential ticket. The chairmen warned that zoning would weaken the party’s electoral chances and its role as an opposition coalition platform. Party leaders insisted that competence, credibility and electability guided the choice of a presidential candidate.
State chairmen of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have urged the party’s National Working Committee to abandon zoning of the 2027 presidential ticket. The party’s bigwigs however advised that for an open, transparent and credible primary election.
The chairmen warned that zoning would weaken the party’s chances in the 2027 general election and undermine its growing role as a coalition platform for opposition forces seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu. They insisted that competence, credibility and electability, rather than geopolitical considerations, should determine who emerges as the party’s flagbearer, Punch reported.
Speaking on behalf of the state chairmen, the Chairman of the ADC Chairmen Forum and Kogi State Chairman, Kingsley Ogga, said zoning would amount to self-sabotage for a party positioning itself as a national alternative.
“As a stakeholder, my opinion is simple: the process should be open to everyone. There should be no zoning. Whoever emerges through a free and fair contest should take the ticket,” Ogga said.
He added:
“Zoning is a way of defeating yourself because it narrows your ambition to one section of the country and excludes other capable Nigerians. Our goal is to field the best candidate who can defeat President Tinubu and rescue Nigeria.”
He added that a transparent process would help preserve unity within the party.
“Elections will always produce winners and losers, but the process must be credible so that the outcome is accepted by all. Whoever wins should enjoy the full support of party members,” he said.
The Secretary of the ADC Chairmen Forum and Edo state Chairman, Kennedy Odion, also argued that zoning restricts the pool of qualified candidates and risks sacrificing national interest for sectional considerations.
“Zoning does not represent competence. If a party restricts its presidential ticket to a particular zone, it limits the range of capable candidates and could compromise development and progress.
“The ADC is being looked upon as a rescue platform for Nigeria. If we get it wrong, it may take a long time before such an opportunity comes again,” Odion said.
He stressed the need for primaries that Nigerians can trust.
“We need a candidate with the confidence of the people. Zoning prioritises sectional interest over national interest. The contest should be open so that the most competent candidate can emerge,” Odion added.
Zoning could weaken party’s chances, Adamawa chairman warn
The Adamawa state Chairman of the ADC, Arabi Mustapha, also warned that zoning could weaken the party’s electoral prospects.
“The contest should be open to all qualified Nigerians, regardless of geopolitical zone. Whoever wins through a free, fair and credible process should be supported by everyone,” Mustapha said.
Mustapha added:
“Zoning sends the wrong signal that we have already limited our options. It will do more harm than good and undermine national unity.”
The call by the state chairmen comes amid rising internal debate within the ADC following the influx of high-profile politicians with presidential ambitions, Vanguard reported.
In July 2025, the ADC emerged as the coalition platform adopted by opposition leaders seeking to unseat President Tinubu in 2027. Since then, the party, under the leadership of former Senate President David Mark as National Chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, has intensified efforts to strengthen its national structures.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) recorded a massive show of strength in Ekiti State as early voting reports from several polling units indicated overwhelming support for the party during the ongoing electoral process.
The development sparked celebrations among ADC supporters across on social media platforms, with many describing the outcome as a reflection of the people’s desire for political change and improved governance.
Reacting to the development, supporters on social media platform X, particularly members of the popular “Atikulate” movement, expressed excitement over the party’s performance. Several posts hailed the results as a positive sign for the opposition ahead of future political contests, while urging party members to remain vigilant until the final declaration of results.
Political observers noted that the strong showing by the ADC could reshape the political landscape in Ekiti, traditionally regarded as a battleground between Nigeria’s major political parties.
As the voting continues, stakeholders have called on supporters to remain peaceful and allow the relevant authorities to complete the process in accordance with electoral guidelines.
However, there was no official result from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as of the time of filing this report. The commission is yet to conclude the collation and announcement of results, while political parties and supporters continue to monitor developments across the state.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has announced it will not be participating in the forthcoming local government election in the state.
The party disclosed this in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Olawale Sadare, on Thursday in Ibadan.
The local government election in the state has been fixed for December 2026, but the APC, in its argument, described the decision to conduct the election as illegal, ill-conceived and self-serving.
Sadare said the decision will further worsen the current situation of things at the grassroots level in the state, alleging that Governor Seyi Makinde does not believe in local government autonomy.
He alleged that such action means that Makinde is now trying to impose another set of lackeys who would be loyal to him even after leaving the office.
“The whole world knows that Gov. Makinde does not believe in local government autonomy, and when it comes to democracy at the grassroots, he cannot be trusted for anything. He has feasted on the resources of the 33 local government councils in the state for over seven years and the people cannot wait for him to leave in May for the third tier of government to regain their freedom.
“The same Makinde is now trying to impose another set of lackeys who would be loyal to him even after leaving Agodi Government House and he knows he cannot do this after the conduct of the 2027 general elections, which outcome would strip him of all political power and influence.”
As Ekiti State prepares for Saturday’s governorship election, Isaac Fayose has alleged that members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are planning to engage in vote-buying during the poll.
Fayose, younger brother of former Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose, raised the alarm on Thursday through a video shared on his official Facebook page.
He claimed that intelligence available to him suggests that arrangements have already been made to influence voters with cash ahead of the election.
The businessman called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to closely monitor activities during the election and take immediate action against anyone caught attempting to buy votes.
According to him, the credibility of the election will depend largely on how effectively security and anti-corruption agencies handle electoral offences.
Fayose argued that Nigeria’s democratic system continues to suffer because elections are often manipulated, making it difficult for truly popular candidates to emerge victorious.
He said, “Nigeria is not developing because our electoral system is faulty. Popular people don’t get into power but unpopular people do because they are rigged in.
“If our votes can’t put the best candidates there, it means we are in a mess. We will see on Saturday whether EFCC is effective or not.
“If EFCC is on ground, they should be able to apprehend many vote buyers because APC is planning to buy votes. EFCC, Nigerians are watching, you now have an office in Ekiti State.
“We have credible information that these people are planning to buy votes”.
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